1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the use of an improved adhesive latex for use as a carpet-backing adhesive.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,281,258 to Callahan discloses the use of rubbery copolymers of styrene and butadiene in the context of a gel latex wherein the gelling is produced by steaming a frothed latex.
In the manufacture of textile floor coverings, such as piled or tufted carpets or rugs, the fibers or yarn is needled or looped through the interstices or holes of a woven or non-woven primary cloth or web such as cotton, polypropylene, jute, or other natural or synthetic fibrous material.
The web or primary cloth is then coated with a latex adhesive, generally a carboxylated butadiene-styrene copolymer latex composition, or a plasticized vinyl chloride copolymer latex to help secure the bottom of the carpet tufts to the woven carpet fabric backing or web.
After drying, a backing is applied to the adhesive, generally in the form of a frothed vinyl polymer composition which is passed between crushing or embossing rollers to obtain the desired thickness, dimension or finish of the backed carpet.
The yarns or tufts of the carpet can be natural or synthetic organic fibers or mixtures. In addition, the yarns can vary from one type to another type. Examples of such yarn include silk, cotton, wool, hair, nylon, acrylics, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers, polyurethanes, rayon, polyacrylonitriles, vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride copolymerized with acrylonitrile, polyvinylidene chloride, polypropylene fibers and the like.
Glass fibers can also be blended or woven with the natural and/or synthetic fibers, which can contain fire-retardants, anti-static agents, bacteriostats, antidegradants, dyes, pigments, optical brighteners and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,617 to Bogdany discloses latex or emulsion compositions of vinyl chloride and/or vinylidene chloride polymer or copolymer with filler and emulsified plasticizer frothed and used to coat and impregnate the back of a carpet which can be precoated by a carboxylated butadiene-styrene copolymer latex composition.
Additional information about the manufacture of carpets and especially tufted carpets can be found in "Carpets and Other Textile Floor Coverings," by Robinson, 2nd Edition, 1972 (Textile Book Service, Division of Bonn Industries, Inc., Trinity Press, London) and "Wellington Sears Handbook of Industrial Textiles," Caswell, 1963 (Wellington Sears Co. Inc., New York), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.